


Catharsis

by tsubasa_quill



Category: Hey! Say! JUMP
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Detective Yuto without the ballet, Gen, I had to watch so much found footage stuff to get the feel of this genre ughh, cause he handles them like a boss, chinen getting attached to people and vice versa, chinen vs jump scares, lame attempt at sarcastic humour, reporter tackling the unknown, squint and you'll miss boy crushes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-05-25 17:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6203956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsubasa_quill/pseuds/tsubasa_quill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was meant to be a late-night programme, another episode on a bunch of rumours and nonsense, another weekend spent fishing for ratings from lovers of the supernatural. What it was not supposed to be was a complicated police case, a string of murders and missing persons and an inexperienced reporter lost in the middle of a forest/scene of the crime with just a Handycam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pre-Production

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own the plot and the idea. Characters based on Idols from Johnnys Entertainment.  
> CYTV is fictional.
> 
> Reposted from LJ :http://tsubasa-ficsii.livejournal.com/9818.html

  
Another long night.  
  
It was so quiet the steady rhythm of his heart was drowning the ticking of the wall clock.  
  
Just another long night.  
  
It was becoming rather tiresome.  
  
The office was almost deserted except for cleaner-san and some guy across the hallway asleep in front of his computer.  
  
Work took up so much of his time, he had almost zero to none social life.  
  
Not that he cared. His high school days were spent in enough karaoke booths thank you very much.  
  
But still, this wasn't the rest of his life, hopefully.  
  
He was one of those people you know the one's that crave a greater purpose but don't really have the patience for it.  
  
He became a journalist with a passion to learn and discover and expose, to bring justice and to end suffering, to meet new people and explore new places.  
  
He joined CYTV in hopes of accomplishing all that. A stepping stone to someplace much greater.  
  
Fresh out of an internship he was fine with ordering lunches for his seniors, running errands for the camera crew, bringing the anchors their coffee and proofreading reports as long as his resume stated * _junior journalist_ * under * _experience_ *.  
  
He was very much fine with it and everyone else was very much fine with him too.  
  
However, he remained the newbie for a mere 5 months before he was propelled into the hot seat of a late-night cult show. Technically it was to replace a senior reporter who had quit whilst in the middle of a project.  
  
Some form of a mental breakdown he was told.  
  
It was rather sad... he had become quite fond of the older man and his dry sense of humor.  
  
His colleagues kept the rumor wheel spinning with tales of how the show had been doomed from the start. All the venturing into haunted localities was bad luck. They believed Himura-san, the said reporter, might have gotten cursed by an angry spirit.  
  
Of course, nobody wanted to replace poor Himura-san. Nobody liked angry spirits.  
  
So that's how *he* ended up the producer for the late night show: 'Tales of the Paranormal: The Fact from The False".  
  
Yes, gracious sympathy was due.  
  
As the producer his job was to investigate rumors about anything the average ghost lover would find interesting and then negotiate with an agency to find a fresh-faced Idol to (look cute while freaking out) host the show. And then maybe, in the end, present a scientific explanation (if any) or pass it off as a wonder of the unknown whilst panning the camera into the sunset with a mysterious soundtrack.  
  
It wasn't the investigations and PR work that irked him. It was the nature and consequence of his promotion. He didn't want to sound ungrateful of course but the fact that he was a replacement for a job nobody wanted... (a late night low-rating programme people only watched if their favourite Idols were on) was kind of a letdown. At least, when he was running errands he managed to shuffle between departments and make good contacts with important people.  
  
His promotion wasn't well received by his colleagues.  
  
It didn't even matter that it was a job nobody wanted to take. He, mere journalist fodder, had become the newbie in a position he didn't deserve.  
  
Everyone else thought he had connections or the boss was too soft on him because of how he appeared... small and harmless.  
  
' _The Little Producer_ '. They actually hung it on the wall of his cubicle.  
  
They would still rather the show be canceled them him getting credit for it.  
  
The adult world is a complicated mess that's what it is.  
  
He had tried to give it his all at first. Maybe he could turn things around... make the show interesting and gripping and have people take him seriously for it. Maybe have a chance of being in front of the camera himself instead of some Idol. Won't that be something!  
  
Alas after a few episodes of the same haunted school rumors he realized his job was pretty much a joke. It was something Idol companies were using to promote their very new girls and paying his station well enough for.  
  
Week after week of the baseless and nonsensical haunting rumors and then having to deal with the cutesy girls who spent more time whining at how hot it was or fawning over his child-like appearance than focusing on the task at hand... pretty much felt like a waste of his investigative talent and a blow to his integrity as a journalist.  
  
He was just not the man for this job.  
  
Also... the way the ladies of the meteorology department looked at him like he was about to drop dead anytime in the cafeteria really got annoying.  
  
He wasn't cursed for goodness sake. Not yet at least.  
  
It's a good thing he didn't believe in ghost. Ha! Take that!  
  
At least, he wasn't alone in all of this. His partner was Taro-san, a senior cameraman, and his pillar of support and guidance for the previous 5 episodes of the same haunted buildings and screaming girls. For that he was very grateful.  
  
He whined as his file crashed for the 3rd time that night, silently praying for the auto-save feature to not fail him again.  
  
He did not feel like retyping those last 500 words.  
  
He saw words in his dreams too. They danced to Arashi's songs with great flair.  
  
He jumped as he heard the sound of heavy footsteps and the shuffle of cords and wires before rubbing his weary eyes.  
  
He had drooled over his notes.  
  
"How's it going?"  
  
He nodded in acknowledgment of his cameraman's presence before responding, surprised at the croaky quality of his voice.  
  
"There's another abandoned school rumored to be haunted... and a junior Idol available for next week's slot,"  
  
"That would be three schools in a row though... last week we went from 2.5 to 1.5 %, we need something new boy,"  
  
He sighed. He knew that but buildings in the city were more accessible, cheap and had more enthusiastic owners. They had a budget after all... a pretty tight one.  
  
He looked at the time.  
  
It was 2.30 in the morning.  
  
"I have a suggestion," Taro-san replied looking a little hesitant, pouring him some hot tea from a thermos.  
  
He accepted the beverage carefully but choked at Taro-san's 'suggestion'.  
  
"Let's continue project Catharsis."  
  
Project Catharsis, in case you're wondering, was the very project that Himura-san had been working on when he experienced that traumatic breakdown. It could have been the cumulative stress from his career and not that specific project that caused it... but he couldn't find the enthusiasm required to answer his cameraman.  
  
So he opened his desk drawer and stuck his face in it instead.  
  
He ignored Taro-san's chuckle. It smelled like pencil shavings in here.  
  
"Come on boy, it will be a great break from the city-based work and some countryside fresh air would do us all good,"  
  
Pulling his head out he sighed and made a face.  
  
"The boss isn't going to like this... this is a lot more money with the transport and lodging...,"  
  
"I've spoken to Himura's team and they are willing to let us continue, it's only a couple of sightings and strange noises but they think there is a story there,"  
  
"So it's their project, why would they just hand it over to me?"  
  
"Himura was very enthusiastic about this project... wanted a 3 episode special on it too, wouldn't tell anyone the details. His cameraman, Miura said he's glad Himura kept it to himself though cause he apparently fell sick immediately stepping foot on-site. Makes you wonder why nobody wants the job huh,"  
  
He grimaced.  
  
"So... what's our advantage?"  
  
"Producer Kana just handed me Himura's files. Said she didn't want to see what was inside."  
  
"Have you read these files?"  
  
"Well, yeah... wanted to make sure it wasn't too scary for you,"  
  
"Sure, and?"  
  
"Well, it's what his team did know... the sightings and the noise... and something about an old tree bleeding,"  
  
He blinked at his older counterpart. Taro-san wasn't serious was he?  
  
"So assuming we are somehow immune to mental breakdowns and there really is a bleeding tree, how do you expect me to pull this off in a week?" he retorted incredulously the conjured image of wherever this location was making his skin crawl. He didn't really believe in ghosts... just didn't fancy picnicking under a tree that somehow oozed blood-like liquid.  
  
That was just disturbing!  
  
"Come on, I know you want a good story more than anyone else and honestly if anyone can do this...," Taro-san sighed, knocking his head gently with a file.  
  
"It's you, the great Chinen Yuri!"


	2. Episode One: How to Get Lost When It's Best Not To

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our producer learns why it's a bad idea to rely too much on a handycam as the only visual input.

When Yuri arrived at the rendezvous point early the next morning after a good 2 hours train ride, he was greeted by what was going to be his team for the project. He usually had an assistant (an intern from the Audio department), Taro-san and the Idols brought their manager and makeup artist.

He frowned, realizing they had sent him an even newer intern today.

The bespectacled sound engineer was the first one to walk up to him, introducing himself as Gennai Koutaro before accidentally smacking him in the face with his shotgun mic. Taro-san had to literally pry the apologetic taller man and even more apologetic mic off of him.

Three women stood by the van and they all looked... to put it lightly, surprised. The Idol manager, Kirishima-san gave him a very uncomfortable full-body scan before bursting out;

"Are you really the Producer? You look like a middle schooler!"

That was definitely an exaggeration. He admits to being able to pass off as a high school boy, maybe... but that would not work to his advantage right now.

"I'm a junior journalist and the producer of this show Kirishima-san," he responded with a curt nod. ( _Yea that's it, play it cool Yuri_.)

"You all must have some serious staff shortage if they have kids doing this kind of work,"

Yuri ignored how Taro-san immediately dived into a well-rehearsed recitation of all his excellent qualities and skills ( _as flattering as that always was_ ) and instead focused his attention on to the star of their latest episode. The girl was decked in a fashionable beige coat and boots, with pink glitter over her eyes, lips and curled brown tresses smelling strongly of hairspray. She seemed apprehensive, elbowing her giggling make up artist before stepping forward and giving him a polite bow.

"Ohmura Mai, Yorushiku Onegaishimassu!"

Yuri returned the greeting, ( _at least the star didn't seem like a brat... so far_ ) and began ushering the company into the vehicle. Gennai needed help fitting the equipment into the back of the van, having almost choked himself with a cable, but soon it was all done and the group was on its way.

Their destination was supposed to only be an hour and a half from their rendezvous point; but with the many toilet breaks, snack stops and a mid-journey touch-up session for Mai they arrived at the entrance of the tourist village a good 3 hours late. The highway had curved into a very convenient vantage point, offering a panoramic view of a lush green valley with clusters of houses with high triangular roofs spread across it. Despite it being late spring moving onto early summer, the mountain peaks were still splotched with the occasional white, white snow.

* Koyokura was one of the mainland's most remote mountain villages... and a popular tourist site.

They took an exit and then it was a gradual descent through a wooden gateway. Yuri felt his ears close up as they rolled past orchards and homes to come to a grateful stop in front of the Koyokura Inn, their designated headquarters for the project. The air was chilly and so fresh Yuri could feel his lethargy melting off of him and despite him wobbling on jumping out from the van, he literally felt like he could run. And run he did, afraid of having lost their booked rooms.

To his relief, the cross-looking owner, Kobayashi-san had reassured him that the last thing he wanted was to kick out a TV crew that could combat the negative publicity the village had been plagued with due to some recent events.

Yuri didn't want to bother with the details until;

"Hey, the police is here," Taro-san whispered harshly nodding discreetly towards a group of officers in the corner of the hall, some of whom were giving them unwelcoming looks.

This could be a problem...

"Um, let's just get everybody settled in and take some preliminary shots for today while the sun is still out, we'll figure our way around the cops later," he responded distributing the keys. He noticed a senior officer pulling a younger one by the arm and whispering in his ear, eyes trained on Yuri.

Recent events? The Police? He really hoped nobody had gotten killed or something, but then... a bunch of officers wouldn't show up in a mountain village over simple theft would they?

He wasn't sure whether his job has gotten more interesting or impossible.

"Excuse me,"

He jumped at a hand on his shoulder, the owner of which was a tall but very young officer. The man pulled back immediately, looking guilty.

"Yes?" he asked composing himself. The young man gave him a very friendly smile.

"I just need to see some ID,"

Yuri nodded pulling out his wallet and the necessary documents.

"You are with CYTV? Are you here to cover the death?"

Chinen could've sworn he heard glass breaking somewhere in the distance.

"Someone died?"

"What? You don't know? What are you here for then?"

"Um, it's just a late night TV show... we have an Idol with us... we're only here for a couple of days hopefully... is that going to be a problem?"

The man pursed his lips and with a frown exchanged a silent message with a very impatient looking senior. The two appeared to have a very serious conversation thru looks and gestures alone during which Yuri's team had managed to slip towards the rooms.

Yuri clasped his trembling hands behind his back and tried to put on his most pleading face when the officer turned back to him.

"Well... um Chinen-san, a handful of tourists have gone missing over the past few weeks and a local was just found dead last night- I don't think you'll be allowed to stay let alone do much,"

The information seemed a bit too much to swallow. As troubling as it was, the loss of this project would bear down heavily on him. He tried to think of a way around this... he didn't have time to start a new project... too many arrangements would need to be made... what if they cancel his show?

"What if we stay in a big group with a guide and leave as soon as possible? Please, I'll lose my job!" he pleaded, sounding more desperate than he intended too. The young officer looked unfazed but he sounded sympathetic as he spoke next.

"Well, we don't think we will be here longer, we are almost done... our search groups have been out since yesterday morning and that accident was just that, so if you guys lay low and stay out of our way and cooperate if we pull you aside for questioning... then I think I'll be able to convince my superiors,"

Chinen wasn't expecting this...

"Oh.... thank you....," he responded quietly, holding out his hand which the other shook with a smile.

"I'm Junior Detective Nakajima... Nakajima Yuto. If you see or hear anything suspicious... please come to me directly,"

He nodded dumbly as the man took big steps back to his flustered superior, speaking calmly and professionally. He wasn't quite sure what the benefit of the conversation had been, except now he knew apparently someone had died... most probably by accident and people had actually gone missing in the lush mountains.

He was glad they had opted for a guide.

It was a traditional Inn, with onsens and futons and sliding doors and long hallways. He was rooming with Taro-san and Gennai, both having already set up their equipment in the room. Neither was as disturbed at the police business as he was as long as they were getting their onsen and meals after work. They would be leaving pretty soon anyway.

"Probably a local scuffle, that poor fellow whoever he was and the police would find those missing tourists... the locals know the lands like the back of their hands," Taro-san said confidently at being updated by his producer.

Yuri nodded. That made sense... people had been living in the valley for hundreds of years... how can anyone get lost in the vicinity and not be found?

He began rummaging through his bag and pulled out his Handycam. A walk around town for some shooting ideas might clear his head. After assuring Taro-san that he would be back by dinner, Yuri strode out of the Inn and began making his way down a small road, taking in the villagers going about their daily lives in this beautiful village. Some greeted him as they passed, some seemed concerned but Yuri was too into his location shoot, trying to find the best backdrops to start the episode. Unknowingly he found himself at the foot of a flight of stone steps adorned with dirt and freshly fallen flowers. It seemed like no one had climbed them today. They led into the shadows of thick foliage so he couldn't tell where they ended but it was probably a shrine. He decided he should probably offer a prayer and began climbing, still looking through the camera screen.

He kept walking even after the steps had ended, and the path wound on and on going from concrete to dirt under the shadows of the trees but Yuri was enjoying himself a little too much to stop. The place was dark and mysterious and beautiful and just perfect. The imagery of the show could win awards. He realized just why his senior had been so hell bent on shooting in this village and it planted a seed of obsession in his heart. He had to complete this project... it was bolstering his competitive streak. He would show those fools at the company.

He was born to excel.

He was playing around with his camera settings when his foot got caught into a thick root and he stumbled to the right, off road, crashing into a few trunks before losing balance completely. Instinctively he clutched his camera close to his chest as he felt his back hit the dirt and he began rolling downwards finally hitting his head against a tree and blacking out completely.

~*~

His body ached and he was chilled to the bone, numbed, confused and alone in the dark. It took him a while to gather himself and get accustomed to the blackness around and as soon as he realized that he was leaning against a tree in the middle of a forest with no light in sight, a powerful fear gripped him. He reached for his phone and gasped to find it not on him. He felt the Handycam in his lap, felt scratches on its surface before turning it on. The battery was at 4% and the eerie greenish night vision view of his surroundings confirmed that he was very much lost.

He tried to stay calm and organized plausible alternatives to freezing to death in the forest in his aching head. His team would probably come looking for him... or maybe a police search party might spot him. Moving might get him deeper in and... oh now he knows how the other tourists got lost.

He would facepalm if his hands weren't so numb.

His ears picked up a sound that didn't sound like the rustle of leaves or the crickets... he felt himself tremble as he heard it again. It had gotten really quiet all of a sudden. Even the wind seemed to have stalled.

There it was again... somewhere in the dark... closer than before.

The tinkle of a bell.

 

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got my muse back... I think. I apologize for my ridiculous chapter titles. I was kind of inspired by jdrama titles (so long...)  
> * I made the place up... but its based on a real place or two... loosely.


	3. Episode Two: What a Distorted sense of Reality Feels Like

The sharp outlines of the tree trunk dug into his back as he kept a hand clasped over his mouth. His eyes were wide and unblinking as they bore into his camera screen. The tinkling of the bell was getting louder, a rhythm becoming more apparent with every passing minute. His grip on his camera tightened as his ears caught the sound of shuddering, heavy breathing. Over the pounding of his own heart it was hard to tell if that was him, or someone dragging themselves towards him.

He didn't believe in ghosts.

He didn't want to believe in ghosts.

He didn't believe in monsters or any other forms of supernatural entities either.

Maybe this was human... or an animal.

His camera caught the shaking of the low plants just inches from his outstretched foot and then the sudden flash of two peering eyes.

He heard his own scream... muffled under the tight grip he had over his mouth.

He somehow found the energy to snap the screen shut and scrambled to his feet, launching himself in the opposite direction, into the darkness beyond.

He could be imagining things, the dark does play tricks. He could keep his eyes shut because keeping them open did him no better. He felt like a pinball, his movement guided by him colliding into tree trunks and stumbling over roots and rocks. His fear had become adrenaline, and his lightning reflexes, born from years of track and field, kept him from falling face flat onto the ground. He had cuts and gashes and he was sure his clothes had been ripped in multiple places but what did he care. All he wanted to do was run and run and run until the sun came out. Regardless of the method, he needed to keep moving.

He felt himself slam against something painfully before being thrown back onto the ground from the impact. Ignoring the sudden pain all over his body he began to yell at the top of his lungs and flail his limbs around wildly as he felt a presence come over him.

"HEY! CALM DOWN!"

That voice... sounded... human.

He clasped his mouth shut and forcefully backhanded whoever it was that decided that pinning a stranger down in the middle of a forest in the dark of night was a smart idea. He snapped open his camera screen (battery was almost dead) and saw a boyish person in dark pants and a light shirt sprawled opposite him... looking almost ghostly in the greenish hue.

"Who... who are you?" he gasped, trying to compose himself despite the trembling grip he had on his camera. The guy reached for something in his pocket and pulled out a small object. He clicked it on and Yuri cringed as the area was suddenly filled with white light.

"I'm sorry I heard you approaching and I rushed in without thinking, I thought you were my friend!"

"What?" Yuri responded incredulously, shielding his eyes from the light. The boy held up his hand, pointing the torch upwards so their enclosure was more pleasantly lit under the heavy canopy.

"Are you okay?"

Yuri shook his head, drinking in the view of the strange boy with the really pale skin and large eyes with due suspicion. The boy got to his feet, dusting what seemed to be really nice jeans.

"I'm sorry if I freaked you out, my camp is close by... do you want to come along... you seem really... upset,"

"I got lost," he responded, ignoring the hand stretched out to him and using the tree to push himself onto his very wobbly knees.

"My friend and I are renting a cabin nearby, you are welcome to stay until daylight... my friend went out to get some fresh water... I was afraid he might have taken a wrong turn on his way back, anyways... I'm Ryosuke,"

"I will take you up on your offer Ryosuke," he responded, feeling breathless. It's not like he was trusting a stranger he just met, but how was he safer alone in the woods?

"Cool, follow me and watch your step,"

Yuri drank in as much of the fresh air as he possibly could... keeping his eyes trained on Ryosuke's broad back. He wasn't much taller than him and was just as agile, maneuvering through the forest floor without a stumble. They had been walking for a mere 10 minutes before reaching a clearing by a running stream enlightened with a golden hue. The light was coming through the windows of a small cabin and its open door. Another figure stood by the entrance, peering into a phone screen.

He looked up as Ryosuke literally pranced into view and Yuri saw relief wash away the frown on the person's face.

"Where have you been man? You know GPS doesn't work here!" said the young man by the door, his cat-like eyes strained.

"Chill Keito, I was out conducting a rescue... I thought it was going to be you but found something better,"

The other man, Keito feigned a hurt look before pulling a very reluctant Ryosuke into a one-armed hug. He got an elbow in the gut in return.

Yuri stared awkwardly at the rowdy exchange of affection.

Ryosuke whispered something to his friend's ear like an excited child and got a hearty chuckle in return but then he turned towards the stunned Yuri and beckoned him inside.

"It's warmer in here, you look like you could use some disinfecting,"

Yes, he definitely needed that, now that his injuries had started to sting in the open air.

"I'm Keito! Nice to meet you,"

Yuri nodded politely as Keito gave him room to enter the warm and cozy interior, closing the door behind them. His eyes trailed over the steaming pot on the stove in the kitchenette, the fashionable throw and cushions on the sofa, the black plush carpet and a large cactus by the round two-chair dining table. Chargers, a laptop, a digital camera and highlighted notes littered the lower bed of the bunk in the corner adjacent to the kitchenette.

"I'm Chinen, and sorry for intruding," he spoke timidly as Keito guided him over to the couch. There was an old fashioned fireplace to his left, a gentle fire crackling merrily in it.

"It's fine... we got lost too when we came here the first time,"

"You come to Koyokura often?" he asked as Ryosuke sat next to him with a first-aid box. Keito shuffled over to the stove to make him some tea.

"It's our second trip," he replied as Ryosuke began work on cleaning the rather nasty gash on his left arm. Chinen hadn't even noticed. He flinched at the sting of the antiseptic. Ryosuke apologized but remained adamant in his work.

"We came here last year with a whole bunch of our friends, a high school reunion trip of sorts," Ryosuke began.

"We came for the onsen and local delicacies but the Inn we were staying at offered us a guide... what was his name again?"

Keito looked thoughtful for a moment before replying;

"Wasn't it Kawai?"

"Yeah... Kawai-kun, he was like this kid around our age and he took us around the whole village and its two shrines. He was super enthusiastic, the people here really like their ghost stories and he was very well-versed in them, we swore we would never come back,"

They both laughed. It was contagious. Yuri didn't realize it until it was too late, but he was smiling.

"So, how did this happen?" he asked nodding to everything around them. Ryosuke gave him a very cheeky smile which Yuri (would never admit out loud) found really charming.

"We actually had a lot of fun, we're both terrified of spooky stuff... but Ryosuke loves mysteries and the unknown and whatever he loves, I get dragged into," Keito complained walking over to them (Ryosuke was now putting a compress over Yuri's swollen ankle) and handed him a steaming cup of tea.

"During our first trip we found out about this cabin, it's actually less pricey than the Inn, it's like 10 minutes from one of the shrines and 20 minutes from the main town. So during this year's trip, since its was going to be just Keito and me, we rented it out!"

"I see," Yuri nodded, draining the last of his tea. He had been very thirsty. He smiled as Keito took the empty cup from him and politely refused the offer of another.

"I'm just wondering Chinen-kun, you aren't here alone are you?" Ryosuke asked, putting the first-aid kit aside and leaning back onto the other side of the couch. Yuri was feeling so cozy, and warm... and these two random boys were solely responsible for it. Just a while back, he thought he was going to be hunted and killed by some strange creature... or squirrel... whatever that was.

"I'm a journalist for CYTV, I was talking a walk when I slipped,"

"Oh wow, are you filming?"

"Yeah, it's a late night TV show,"

"Tales of the Paranormal?"

Yuri had to hold back a smile at the surprise in Ryosuke's brown eyes. He nodded.

"You're filming an episode here? That's awesome!"

"Ryosuke, I think you should let him rest, he's been through enough for one night,"

"Oh yeah, sorry,"

Yuri wanted to say it was okay. He wanted the boy with the brown eyes and nice voice to keep talking. But the relief and the exhaustion and the warmth had suddenly washed over him and he had slipped further into the soft cushions. His eyes were closing of their own accord.

He remembers Ryosuke pushing him down and pulling his legs up before covering him with a blanket. He saw Keito walk towards the light switch and turn it off and then he knew no more.

~*~

Yuri was having a strange dream. He was sitting in a room with a porcelain cat, a bell around its neck. The cat remained stationary like any inanimate object but the bell jingled now and then as if someone invisible was playing with it.

He then remembers walking, hand in hand with someone who was talking animatedly about something. He couldn't make out the words but he kept nodding and humming in response. He was walking down a stone path, under the shadow of a great tree with blood red flowers.

He remembers getting his phone back.

He remembers feeling lost as his hand was let go but he had kept walking anyway, down a flight of steps, across a road and into a throng of stiffly dressed men before finding a very familiar face.

"Chinen-san?"

This may sound weird, but he remembers passing out.

Yuri had a really strange set of dreams it seems.

~*~


	4. Episode Three: The Secrets of the Blood Red Sakura

  
His head hurt.

He shifted in the warmth of the cover, completely enveloped in comfort. Slowly but surely, he became aware of time and its passing. His body was becoming restless, starting with twitches of his fingers and ankles to a neck readjustment to rid of a rather nasty spasm.

It seemed like it was daytime, his closed eyelids glowing orange from whatever light there was beyond. His ears picked up the sound of soft chatter close by.

"Look, this is weird, isn't it? I mean something happened to the previous head of this project as soon as he reached here and now Yuri-,"

"Listen, the police is not here to hunt down evil spirits or banish ill omens, I'm still sticking around because there is a police case here now and I need to question Chinen-san after what happened yesterday,"

"What time is it?"

Yuri realized he had probably scared the two men to death by sitting up so suddenly and glaring up at them, panic and apprehension possibly on his face but... there was no time for formalities right now.

"Yuri, are you alright?"

Yuri blinked confusedly as Taro-san dropped by his futon which he realized was the only item in a small room.

"Yeah I'm okay," he responded trying to force himself off the mattress and onto the cold floor.

"-but we are screwed if I've been sleeping through shooting time!"

"It's late afternoon, we got here yesterday...,"

Yuri flinched as pain spread all over his body, minor movement suddenly making him dizzy. He felt Taro-san's strong grip on his shoulders and he clenched his eyes shut, hoping for the spell of vertigo to pass as abruptly as it had come.

"We-," he breathed out shakily as the room finally stopped spinning. His heart was pounding in his ears.

"We need to start shooting... now!"

Taro-san looked concerned, hesitant even but before the words could come out of his parted lips Yuri interjected strongly;

"We are not canceling the project!"

"You disappeared overnight Yuri! Then the next morning you come walking out of the forest like a zombie, right in the middle of a police investigation and dropped unconscious right before them! How is that not a matter of concern?"

Yuri pursed his lip, not realizing Nakajima was now behind him, arms folded as he watched the producer with curiosity.

"I wanted to get some preliminary shots, I took a wrong turn and slipped... I got lost but found some campers, spent the night with them,"

"Can you describe these campers to me?"

Yuri whipped his head around at the detective's question, whose pen was already on a very abused notepad and held up both hands.

"Look, I'll take you to them, but give me at least today to make up for lost time,"

Nakajima frowned.

"I will not take your disregard for the police lightly,"

"Detective I'll have to charge my camcorder and then I'll hand it to you... it has everything and everyone on tape,"

The young officer sighed, hands folded.

"Fine, I'll be sticking around you though, until you do,"

"Sure, whatever pleases you... Taro-san get everyone together... we need to get to that tree,"

~*~

"Gennai-kun hurry up with the sound check will you?" Yuri grumbled, making the already flustered intern almost trip. Satisfied with the lighting, Taro-san shook his head, continuing to find the best angle to get both the pretty Idol and the magnificent and ancient tree into one breathtaking shot.

Yuri gazed up at the vivid red flowers, the heavy foliage decorating the branches of a massive and very old tree.

The Blood Red Sakura.

He looked down at his notes as the Idol, Ohmura took dainty steps to stand between the gregarious roots in a blood red kimono. Their young guide stood behind the crew, mesmerized by the starlet.

"Okay Ohmura-san, do you remember your lines?" he asked. She nodded gently, not wanting to upset her intricate and heavily decorated updo.

"Okay, Taro-san, Gennai-san?"

"Okay," "Check,"

"Action!"

Ohmura placed a palm on the tree and looked directly into the camera.

"The village of Koyakura, a beautiful retreat deep into the forests of the north. The people of Koyakura, a peace-loving folk living in perfect harmony with the overwhelming presence of raw nature. Life here is quiet, simple... instead of the buzz and clamor of the city is the sound of birds, farm animals, running water and the wind amongst the leaves. Open to tourist, the locals though friendly to the occasional tourist are wary of interference. They are happy within the confines of their quiet little world... their little piece of heaven on earth. However... a land so untouched by industry has much to offer and in the past, there have been many attempts to commercialize this district. But all to no avail. What exactly is that deters change here? What force of nature fights so viciously to protect its secrets and its secret keepers?   
Join me, Ohmura Mai and my team, as we embark on a journey to uncover the secrets of this village of the Blood Red Sakura."

"And CUT!"

Yuri nodded, satisfied. This girl was good.

"Does it really bleed?" she asked him as her make-up artist and manager began fussing about her.

Yuri shrugged and looked at the guide who nodded vigorously.

"Yes it does sir, once my friend stood under it when it rained and when he moved away we saw that his shirt was all red from behind as if he had been leaning against wet paint!"

Yuri raised an eyebrow.

"So someone painted the trunk?"

The guide looked flustered.

"No no, then another kid stuck a knife in it to carve out his name and his lover's name and it started bleeding!"

Chinen looked at Taro-san who pulled out an army knife from his pocket.

"Mai-chan move away please," he commanded taking large steps towards the tree. Yuri took out his phone and began recording as Taro-san stuck the knife into the hardwood. Yuri dropped his phone, feeling a sting in his chest.

"Nothing's happening," Mai chipped from behind as Yuri bent to pick his device up, rubbing his chest with a frown. He looked up instinctively, feeling a prickling feeling at the back of his neck. He froze, fear gripping his very bones at the sight of a pale gangly figure, shiny long black hair falling all over its body from the head, sitting amongst the branches. He couldn't see a face but could tell that it was looking right at him. He jumped and tripped backward as Taro-san exclaimed out loud and suddenly all eyes were on him. The figure was gone.

"Sorry man," Taro-san chuckled apologetically, but then excitedly pulled his knife out. True to the tales... a heavy, thick red liquid began oozing out from the wound in the trunk.

Mai screamed a little.

"Bring a container a bottle or something, we should get this sap and analyze it properly,"

"Don't do that!" their guide yelled fearfully.

"They say it is the blood of the spirits of the people that disappeared in the forest, you will be haunted if you take it with you!"

"Taro-san maybe you should listen to the young man," spoke the Idol's manager looking highly uncomfortable. The make-up artist bounced excitedly on her heels pointing at Mai.

"I've seen those movies... it's always the Idol or actress that gets possessed and then she kills everyone and then she carries the spawn of evil to spread it all over the world-,"

"Seriously?" Mai looked at her, disturbed and irritated all at once.

Yuri was still on the ground, heart hammering in his chest as Gennai and Taro-san collected the sap anyway. He flinched as he heard a bell in the distance.

Besides their response to the red tree sap, everyone was so normal. Why was he seeing... hearing things.

Behind him the makeup artist was chasing Mai around.

"Beware Mai... the spirits are coming to possess you!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sooooo sorry this took forever to update. I swear I'm back for good this time!

**Author's Note:**

> I believe this won't be too long. My first hand at horror/paranormal type of fic and a much more mature characterization of Jump's youngest in comparison to my previous fics. This is an idea I've had for almost 3 years now but I was waiting for the right time to start. For now, at least, only members of 7 are featured as main characters and the rest are OC's (*cough*expendables*cough*). I'll be testing the waters with this chapters, to see if people are interested enough for me to update more regularly.
> 
> Comments will be loved! Questions will be entertained and theories are welcomed!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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